Work-guiding device for sewing-machines.



A. H. DE VOE.

WORK GUIDING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR 1. I916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

WITNESSES:

6-9 I Patented Apr. 23, 1918.

A. H. DE VOE.

WORK GUIDING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. 1916,

1 63 ,869. Patented Apr. 1918.

2SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES: l/VI/E/VTOR 52" g, fmim UNTTED FAFQN FFTE ALBERT H. DE VOE, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

' WORK-GUIDING DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

messes.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 93m,

Application filed April 1, 1916. Serial No. 88,205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALBERT H. DE Von, a citizen of the United States, residing at l/Vestfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVorlcGuiding Devices for sewing-h/lachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to tuck-forming and stitching devices, and particularly to means for producing simultaneously a plurality of tucks stitched in permanent relations, such as is disclosed in the United States patent to C. H. Foster, No. 575,342, of January 19, 1897 and it has for its object to provide for the release of the work for the shifting or the removal thereof preceding or following a tuck-forming and stitching operation.

In its preferred embodiment, the invention comprises stitch-forming mechanism including a plurality of reciprocating needles arranged in a row crosswise of the direction of feed, a multiple tucking attachment comprising separable upper and lower series of tuck-forming elements disposed respectively in alternating relation, and a presser-foot normally resting upon the work adjacent the stitching point, combined with lifting means including a common element whereby the presser-foot may be raised and the upper tuck-folding element lifted out of operative relation with the lower tuck-.

folding elements to facilitate the introduction and removal of the work.

Cooperating with the advanced portion of the lower tuck-folding elements is a series of fold-guides having blades which are adjustable both in thedirection of and crosswise of their length to insure their proper positioning relatively to the lower tuck-folding elements and the stitch-forming mechanism. The invention also includes tension devices with releasing means therefor operatively connected with said lifting means, whereby the needle-threads may be slackened when the work is released by the presser-foot and tuck-folding elements, to insure unrestricted movement of the work after a stitching period. The invention includes certain other features to he hereinafter described in detail and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front end elevation of a sewing machine embodying the present improvements, and Fig. 2 a plan of the forward end of the machine with the head of the bracket arm and certain other parts in section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine similar to Fig.

7 1, with certain of the parts in different positions. Fig. lis a transverse section on line 44 of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the upper tuck-folding member and its carrying-arm, and Fig. 6 a similar view of the tuck-guide and its carrier. Fig. 7 is a perspective view upon a larger scale representing the series of tuck-guides with the adjacent portion of the carrier represented in dotted lines. Fig. 8 is a view ofthe under side of the upper tuck-folding member.

As represented in the drawings, the machine is of the well-known Singer chainstitch type, and is constructed with a frame comprising the base 1 and bracket-arm 2 terminating in the head 3 in which is journaled the reciprocating needle-bar 4 which is provided at its lower end with the transversely arranged needle-clamp 5 carrying in practice a series of eyepointed needles 6 arranged in a row disposed at right angles with the line of feed. The needles reciprocate through the usual work-plate 7 beneath which are cooperating loop-takers of suitable or usual form.

Journaled within suitable bearings of the bracket-arm head 3 is the presser-bar 8 having secured upon its lower end the shank 9 of the presser-foot which is normally thrust downwardly by means of the fiat spring 10 sustained in a well-known manner upon the bracket-arm and having its free end resting upon the top of the Presser-bar. Secured upon the presser-bar by means of the set screw 11 is a collar 12 embraced within a lateral recess of the sliding sleeve 13 fitted loosely upon the presser-bar and provided near its upper end with the lateral stud-pin 14c and adjacent its lower end with the laterally projecting stud-pin 15 which preferably carries the anti-friction rollers 16 and 17. i

The stud-pin l4: enters the apertured for" ward arm of a rock-lever 18 of well-lmown form mounted upon the fixed stud-screw l9 sustained by the bracket-arm and having its apertured rearwardly extending arm connected by means of the depending rod 20 with suitable operating means, as a treadle or knee-lever, beneath the sewing machine. Beneath and in operative-relation with the roller 16 of the stud is the lifting cam 21 upon the hub of the hand-lever 22 which 7 is mounted upon the fixed fulcrum-stud 23 sustained by the bracket-arm head 3. The operative or eccentrically curved edge of the cam 21 merges at its high point in a concentric portion which terminates with the stop-finger 21- laterallyengaging the roller 16 to limit the lifting movement of the lever 22.

which is formed with the usual convergent forming ribs 31 terminating in the laterally inclined blades 32. The stud25 is secured in position by means of the set-screw 25 by loosening which the plate 26 may be raised or lowered to afford vertical adjustment for the tuck-forming member 30. The carrier-plate 28 is removably secured in position by means of the fastening screw 27 entering an aperture of the plate 26 and tapped into the tongue 27.

Disposed above the outer portion of the member 30, and with its series of ribs or tuck-folding elements 33 normally in alternating relation with those of the lower memher is the upper tuck-forming member 34 which hassecured upon its upper face by screw 35 a plate 36 carr ing a fastening stud-screw 37 entering and embraced by a slot 38 in a lateral flange 39 at the outer or free end of the arched sustaining lever 40. At its opposite end the lever 40 is formed w'th an apertured boss 41 entered by the shouldered stud-screw 42 by which such lever isfulcrumedrearwardly of the needleand presser-bars' Directly above the boss .41, the lever 40 is formed with an upwardly extending cam-finger 43 whose concaved forward-edge is adapted to engage the roller 17 of the'stud 15.

The stud-screw 42 is tapped into a bracketplece 44 which is secured to the lower portion of the bracket-arm head 3 by means of screws 45 and is provided with a rearwardly projecting tubular boss 46 having its outer end internally threaded to receive the screwplug 47. A spring 48 is interposed between the inner end of the plug 47 and a flange 49 extending laterally from the cam-finger 43 of the lever 40, and acting through said lever to press the upper folding member downwardly toward the lower folding member. The lever 40 is provided adjacent the boss 41 with an apertured and threaded lug 50 within which is fitted the stop-screw 51 whose depending point is adapted to engage the top of the lateral lug 52 extending from the rigidly sustained bracket-piece 41- and afiording adjustable means for determining the spacing apart of the upper and lower tuck-forming elements. A lock-nut 53 is ap plied to the stop-screw 51 to prevent the accidental turning of the latter.

Secured to the forward face of the bra cketpiece 44 by the screw 54 and steady-pins is a downwardly and forwardly extending arm 56 having a slotted forward extremity fitted within a channeled transverse seat 57 of a carrier-bar 57 detachably secured thereto by means of a screw 58 passing through the slot of the arm 56 and tapped into said bar. The bar 57 is formed with a series of transverse sockets disposed parallel to the workplate and to the direction of feed, in which sockets are secured by means of set-screws 59 stud-pins 60 extending from bosses 61 from which depend the laterally and downwardly curved wings 62 which terminate in the tuck-guiding blades 63 in practice overlying those parts of the lower tuck-forming member intermediate the blades 32. By loosening the set-screws 59, the tuck-guiding blades 63 may be adjusted either endwise or sidewise while retaining their substantial parallelism with the portions of the lower tuck-forming member which they overlie.

By mounting the upper tuck-forming member 34 and the tuck-guides 63 upon carriers sustained from a point rearward of the needles, the operators view of the stitching point remains unobstructed for the easy and accurate manipulation of the work, and the support of the guides 63 by an arm extending horizontally below and to the rear of the eyes of the needles in the upper position of the latter affords an unobstructed space for the convenient threading of the needles. The carrier-lever 40 is preferably arched to a point above the highest position to which the needle-clamp rises so as to afford ample clearance for the needle-clamp of a machine employing a large number of needles and in which the needle-clamp extends laterally beyond, the support for the tuck-formin g member 34.

The employment of a spring 48 provides for the relative yield of the upper and lower tuck-forming members to accommodate cross-seams and other irregularities in the thickness of the work, and the employment of the screw-plug 47 provides means of ad justment of the tension of this spring so as to. produce a pressure upon the work suited to the character of the fabric.

.The lifting of the presser-foot may be accomplished by means of the usual treadle or knee-lever acting through the rod 20 to tilt the rock-lever 18, or by the hand-lever 22 acting through the cam 21; but in either case, in the present embodiment, the vertical movements of the sleeve 13 effect the desired movements of the presser-foot and the upper tuck-forming member either simultaneously or successively, depending upon the position and adjustment of the mechanism. In the upward movement of the sleeve, the lower member thereof engages the block 12 and carries it with the presser-bar upwardly, and the roller-stud l7 simultaneously moves upwardly and in such movement rides against the cam-shaped edge of the finger 13, thereby rocking the lever 10 upon its fulcrum 412 and lifting the holding member 34;, as represented in Fig. 1, these rising movements being performed in opposition to the presser-bar and tuck-former springs 10 and 48, respectively. The release of the sleeve 13 by its lifting means obviously permits the descent of the work-engaging members to operative position under the action of their respective springs.

As shown in the drawings, the present machine is provided with tension mechanism similar to that of my Patent No. 1,146,405, of July 13, 1915. The tension devices, which correspond in number to the needle 6, are mounted. upon a supporting plate 64lwhieh is carried upon the outer end of the endwise movable rod 65 provided in its opposite end portion with a lateral recess 66 embracingthe rounded arm 67 of an elbowlever mounted upon the fulcrum-stud 68 and having a lateral arm 69 connected by means of the pull-rod 70 with the rearward arm of the presser-foot lifting rock-lever 18. The tension devices are of well-known form, and each comprises the separable disks 71 normally pressed together upon the needlethread by means of a spring 72 interposed between the outer tension disk and the thrust-nut 73 upon the threaded tubular stem 74.

A tension-release pin 7 5 entering the bore of the stem 1 and effecting an operative connection with the spring 72 is adapted to engage the stationary thrust-plate 76 carried by the bracket-arm when the supporting plate 64 is drawn backwardly by actuation of the rock-lever 18 so as to relieve the tension disks of the pressure of the springs 7 2 to slacken the needle-thread when the presser-foot is lifted.

By the provision of common means for lifting the presser-foot and separating the tuck-forming members, the two distinct actions of the operator heretofore required for the purpose in this class of machine become unnecessary, the single lifting action performed by means below the table. according to the present improvement permitting the operators hands to be entirely free for manipulation of the Work. The described advantage in the handling of the work is further increased by the employment of tension-releasing means connected with the lifting means, whereby the stitched and folded fabric is entirely free from the detaining action of the stitching threads when the work is shifted or removed from the machine after a tuck-forming and stitching operation.

To permit access to the loopers, the upper tuck-forming member 34 may be removed from its carrier by loosening the fastening screw 37 and withdrawing the same therefrom, the carrying bar 57 for the tuck-guides being similarly detached from its carrying member 56 by loosening the screw 58, after which theremoval of the fastening screw 27 permits the removal of the plate 28 which closes a suitable access aperture of the bed-plate in a well-known manner.

While the present improvement is shown in the form and arrangement of its component parts which are deemed preferable, it is evident that the improvement may exist in widely different embodiments within the scope of the present invention. Although the present improvement is shown and described herein embodied in a machine for forming and stitching tucks in fabrics, it is evident that the character of the separable Work-guiding elements is not an essential part of the invention in its broader aspect.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. In a sewing machine, in combination a presser-foot, a presser-bar, a tucking guide comprising separable folding elements, a presser-foot lifting lever, and means carried by the presser-bar for lifting the presser-foot and separating the folding ele ments vertically to facilitate the introduction and removal of fabric.

2. In a sewing machine, in combination, a work-plate, a presser-foot movable toward and from the same, lifting means for said presser-foot, a tucking guide comprising cooperating folding elements of which one is movable relatively to the other in the direction of movement of the presser -foot, and means connected with said presser-foot lifting means for lifting the movable folding element for introduction and removal of the fabric. p Y

3. In a sewing machine, in combination, a presser-foot, lifting means therefor, a, tucking guide comprising separable folding elements between one of which and the presserfoot a relative yield is provided for, and means connected with said presser-foot lifting means for raising the last-named folding element for introduction and removal of the 4. In a sewing. machine, in combination, a presse-r foot, lifting means therefor, a tucking guide comprising. separable folding elements one of which is mounted to yield relatively to the other and to said presserfoot, and lifting means including a coma fabric. I

6. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, and a tucking guide comprising. separable folding elements, a spring for pressing said elements into operative relation, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring.

7. In a sewingmachine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, and a tucking guide comprising upper and lower folding elements, said upper-folding element being movable away from said lower folding element-in substantially a perpendicular direc 'tion', a spring for yieldingly holding'said elements'in norm-a1 operative relation and adjustable means for limiting the action of said spring to vary the normal spacing. apart of said elements. 7 V

8. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism including a multiplicity of needles, a needle-bana clamp carried thereby for holding said needles, a tuck-guide comprising opposed upper and lower folding elements, said guide being located in advance of the needles, an arched supporting arm extending from said upper member of the guide over and above the needle-clamp when in its extreme upper position, a pivot to the rearof the needles for supporting said arm for movement in a vertical plane parallel with theline of feed whereby unrestricted extension of the needle-clamp is provided for securing a gang. of needles cquallyion both sides of the needle-bar. V 1

9. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism including a multiplicity of needles, a needle-bar, a clamp carried thereby for holclingisaid needles, a

tuck-guide comprising opposed upper and lower folding'elements', said guide being located in advance of the needles, an arched supporting' arm extending from said upper member-of the: guide over and above' the needle-cla'mpwhen in its-extreme upper po- Sition a pivot to the rearof the needles at a point below the crest of the arched: supporting arm for supporting said arm for movement in a vertical plane parallel with the line of feed whereby in the movement of the arm about its pivot the horizontal component of motion is substantially eliminated.

10. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, and a multiple tucking guide comprising upper and lower series of tuck-forming elements disposed respectively in alternating relation, a series of fold-guides disposed in advance of the upper tuck-forming elements and in operative relation with the lower tuck-forming elements and each constructed with a fold-engaging blade provided with a stud-pin disposed parallel with said blade, a carrier for said fold-guides having a series of parallel. sockets disposed parallel with the workplate, and means for adjustably securing within said pockets said stud-pins of the foldguides whereby the fold-engaging blades of the latter are adapted for endwise and sidewise adjustment.

11. In a sewing machine, in combination, a presser-bar, a presser-foot carried thereby, lifting means applied to the presser-bar and including a stud movable with the latter in performing its lifting movements, 11 tucking guide comprising separable folding elements, and a carrier for one of said elements movably mounted independently of the presser-bar and adapted to be directly e11- gaged by said stud to lift said folding element.

12. In a sewing machine, in combination, a presser-bar having a shoulder, a presserfoot carried thereby, a sleeve surrounding said presser-bar arranged for operative engagement with said shoulder and carrying a plurality of studs, a lifting lever engaging one of said studs, a tucking guide comprising separable folding elements, and a carrier for one of said elements movably mounted independently of the presser-bar and normally lying in the path of movement of another of the studs of said sleeve.

13. In a sewing machine, in combination, a presser-bar having a shoulder, a presserfoot carried thereby, a sleeve surrounding said presser-bar arranged for operative engagement with said shoulder and carrying a plurality of studs, a lifting lever engaging one of said studs, a tucking guide comprising separable folding elements, and a carrier-lever for one of said elements fulcrumed independently of the presser-bar and formed with a cam-finger adapted for engagement with another of the studs of said sleeve for effecting the rise of the folding element under the action of said sleeve in lifting the presser-bar.

14. In a sewing machine, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism including a plurality of reciprocating eye-pointed needles, and a'multiple tucking guide comprising upper and lower series of tuck-forming e1erearward of the needles and extendin forments disposed respectively in alternating wardly past the needles adjacent wh1ch it 113 relation; a series of fold-guides disposed in lies wholly below the needle-eyes when in advance of the upper tuck-forming element extreme upper position whereby the needle and in operative relation with the lower eyes are rendered accessible for threading. tuck-forming elements and each constructed In testimony whereof I have signed my with a fold-engaging blade, and a carrier name to this specification. for said fold-guides sustained at a point ALBERT H. DE VOE.

Boples of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of JPatents. Washington, D. C. 

